


Rivalry

by TheBigLoserQueen



Series: My TFA Universe [17]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemy Lovers, Fights, Forbidden Love, Hurt/Comfort, Language, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Slash, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-13
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 11:53:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4563600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBigLoserQueen/pseuds/TheBigLoserQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hound doesn't understand how or why Mirage can be with a Decepticon, not when he loves him more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rivalry

Mirage let out a silent groan as he stood in between the two arguing mechs, being the buffer zone so they wouldn't try to kill each other. He had gone out to meet his Decepticon lover down in the abandoned mine shafts just outside of Neutral territory, not realizing that Hound had followed him. Before he could go inside the shaft, Hound had stopped him and told him that it wasn't a good idea to meet up with the mech anymore. Not after what he had done to him.  
  
But that had been Vorns ago and Mirage had already forgiven him. But that argument wasn't good enough for his best friend and the scout tried to drag him back to base. They didn't even get far from the cave because two servos shot out from the entrance and dragged both mechs inside. Mirage was shoved behind his assaulter while Hound was attacked by him. It didn't take long to realize that it had been Novabomb.   
  
To separate the two didn't take long either, but it didn't get them to shut up. They were still arguing, still yelling at each other. Hound was going off on how Novabomb was a freak and could have killed Mirage, if he didn't recall, while Novabomb was shouting back that of course he knew and would never try to hurt him like that on purpose. Then they started blaming each other for the incident, all while Mirage just stood in the middle of them. It was like he wasn't even there, which royally pissed him off.   
  
Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore. “Argh, would both of you just  _shut up_?!” he snarled, both mechs immediately stopping their argument and looking over at the Autobot spy. "For Primus' sake, I'm standing right  _here_!"  
  
The seeker and scout exchanged bitter glanced before looking down at the floor, grumbling out apologies to the blue Autobot.   
  
Mirage just huffed, shaking his helm. Then he turned to Hound, his gaze softening a bit as he looked at his friend. "Hound... I know what happened. But I've already forgiven him for it, okay? Yeah... There are some issues that still needed to be discussed, but it's not your business on what they are."   
  
He saw Hound stiffen a bit, which made him feel slightly guilty for saying it, though it was true. Still, Hound was his best friend and he was only being like this because he cared. Mirage rested a servo on his shoulder plating and rubbed over it, as if rubbing a wound. "Hound, it does mean a lot to me that you care, but this isn't your problem, okay? Go back... Please."  
  
Hound just stared down at the blue mech, shocked and even hurt by his words. It wasn't his problem? No - it had  _everything_  to do with him! He loved Mirage and would always be worried about him. Of course this was his problem! That Decepticon freak almost _killed_  him! How could he just sit back and allow his friend to continuously go meet up with a lover who had tried to  _murder_  him?!  
  
Novabomb felt a hint of satisfaction at the dejected looked on the taller Autobot's face. Good. The little mech had no right snooping in business that wasn't his. And no matter what, Mirage would always take his side in something like this in the end. Even if Hound was his best friend. Because Novabomb was his lover, he would always win.   
  
Just as Mirage turned away, as if to scold Novabomb, Hound grabbed Mirage by the wrist and held him back. Novabomb stiffened in rage while Mirage turned to stare up at his taller friend in shock. “Hound?” he said, titling his helm.  
  
“It  _is_  my business,” he spat out, much to the other’s surprise. “You continue to see some Decepticon that nearly killed you!” He glared at Novabomb and growled, “I will never forgive you for what you did to him! You almost killed him! Or did you forget?!"  
  
Novabomb felt like his chassis had took a bullet. Yes. He knew what he had done to Mirage. Hell, even he was still shocked that Mirage continued to see him. But he was always careful around him, always regretting that he had allowed the "other guy" to hurt the mech he loved most. And Hound bringing up like that? It made his spark twist with rage because Hound had every right to be concerned and he could say nothing back.   
  
Mirage, however, could. He frowned and yanked his arm free. "Hound, that's enough," he growled. "You don't know and you don't understand Novabomb like I do. He loves me and regrets what did. Go back already."  
  
His optics widened in fury. Even if that was true, Hound had been by his side longer, had been with him more often than Novabomb ever would. He knew him better than Novabomb and he had loved him since the first time he met the former nobleman. Hound suddenly felt a blinding rage consume him, making him forget that Novabomb was even there with the two of them.   
  
He grabbed him by the shoulders and he snarled, "Mirage, I can't leave you to him! I love you too much to see you get hurt again! Don't you remember how much pain you were in after he  _attacked_?! I can't let that happen again! I  _won't_  let it happen!"   
  
Both Novabomb and Mirage just stared at the dark green Autobot. Mirage couldn't understand his friend at first. Hound, his best friend, was in love with him? When? For how long? And why was the scout telling him this  _now_?! In front of Novabomb, no less! He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but someone else had beat him too it.  
  
"You what?" came the sharp and furious (or was it fearful?) hiss. Both Hound and Mirage looked at the rigid Decepticon, whose optics were locked on the Autobot scout. No. No, Hound had to be lying. Mirage was his lover. Did he mean the other form of love? He had to. That's what the green mech had to have meant by love. His love was friendship... right?   
  
"You... love him?" he repeated, servos clenching into fists. "What... do you mean?"  
  
Hound glanced down at his friend, who looked confused. Oops. He had let the "love" thing slip out on accident. He had meant to keep that to himself, to keep it as a secret and just remain by the light blue mech's side for the rest of his function as his best friend. But he glared back at Novabomb and gripped the other's shoulders tightly. "I love him the same way you do. I always have... And I probably always will. You have a problem with that?"   
  
Something in Novabomb snapped. Though he had taken his medication that morning, it didn't mean he couldn't get angry and kill someone on his own accord. He had always  _loathed_  the dark green mech in front of him, but never did anything because he was Mirage's best friend and Mirage cared for him deeply. But he no longer saw the mech as being his lover's best friend, especially when he saw the spy blush lightly. He saw him as a rival and, in Novabomb's case, there was only one way to get rid of any possible rival.   
  
Eliminate them from the picture completely.   
  
" _Let go of him!_ " he roared, grabbing Mirage and yanking him behind him, shoving him back against the rock walls.   
  
Mirage let out a sharp, pained gasp, but the seeker paid no mind to him as he jumped at the scout, who seemed just as ready to brawl as the Decepticon did. The spy's optics widened in horror as the two punched and clawed at each other, snarls and shouts filling the air as they tried to  _kill_  each other.  Mirage had to do something - anything at this point. But he couldn't move, not even when he heard at cracking and crunching of metal plating, a pained scream from Hound following. He had to do something. Novabomb would murder the scout if he just stood there like an idiot!  
  
Finally, he forced himself to push from the wall and jump on Novabomb, wrapped his arms tightly around his waist as he tried to yank him off. "Novabomb, stop! You'll kill him! Stop it!"  
  
Novabomb stiffened when he felt those small arms wrap around his waist. He looked at the green mech he had pinned against the wall, holding him up by the throat, who was choking and glaring at the Decepticon. Though he wanted to rip him limb from limb, he knew he couldn't. Hound was important to Mirage, and he didn't want the Autobot spy to hate him. It would kill him if Mirage would ever come to hate him. He just wouldn't be able to handle it.   
  
Reluctantly, he released the smaller mech, letting him fall straight to the floor. Mirage's arms fell from his waist as Novabomb backed away from the Autobot, growling softly when he saw Mirage kneel down beside the green mech, checking over his frame. Well, he wasn't in too bad of shape, minus the painful looking dent in his shoulder. Well, at least that could be buffed out. Still, he had to ask. "Are you all right?"  
  
Hound rubbed his shoulder and nodded. "Yeah... Don't worry about me." He glanced over at the seeker standing over them, glaring down at him. But then he turned back to the other, carefully stretching up a servo and stroking over his cheek. "I'm okay, seriously."  
  
Novabomb twitched when he saw the look in Hound's optics. Primus, it was the same as his when he looked at Mirage. How didn't he notice this before?! But he didn't dare move because Mirage was right there. He didn't want to hurt him, especially not after that last time. He could have killed him... He had to resist the urge to shove the spy out of the way and murder the scout next to him.  
  
Mirage's optics widened a bit at the gentle caress of the servo. He had forgotten for a moment that Hound had just (sort of) confessed to him. He simply couldn't believe it. Hound had always just been his friend. Mirage had never looked at him in that way. But was it different for Hound? Did he really always see him that way? He didn't know, which was why he turned away from the servo on his cheek, looking down at floor.   
  
Hound should have expected such a reaction. He was sure that Mirage didn't know what to think about his feelings. He drew back his servo and slowly stood up, Mirage turning back to him to help him to his pedes. Then he glared at Novabomb and growled, "I love him... But I know you do too and that you're in a relationship, but... Has he ever even said that he loves you?" He asked the question more gently, mainly because he was also asking Mirage as well. Did Mirage love the Decepticon in front of them? He had never said it himself. Was it really love on Mirage's part? Or was it simply pity?  
  
Novabomb and Mirage looked at each other for a few moments. No. Mirage had never said that he loved Novabomb, despite the seeker telling him practically every day. Novabomb swallowed a bit. Mirage had to have loved him. Why else would he continue to see him? It... It couldn't have been pity, right? It had to be more than that.  
  
Novabomb shook his helm. "He... He doesn't have to say it."  
  
Hound couldn't help but to laugh to himself. "Then how do you know he loves you?" He looked down at his friend, who was just looking up at him with a confused and even helpless expression. It was as if the spy was demanding to know why he was doing this. Hound's expression softened, feeling somewhat guilty for throwing Mirage in the middle of this. "Do you love him?" he asked. "Tell me if I'm wrong."  
  
Mirage looked from the Autobot to the Decepticon, unsure of how to answer this. He did care about him, but he didn't know whether to call it love or not. Yes, he did enjoying being in Novabomb's company and felt safe with him, despite what had happened. And even after losing a bit of trust in him because of "the other guy," he still found himself drawn to being with the seeker. He just couldn't (or was it wouldn't?) say that he loved Novabomb like Novabomb loved him.   
  
"I... I..." He couldn't force the words out. It was too overwhelming, especially as both mechs were staring down at him, both anxiously waiting for an answer. He shook his helm, having to look away from them. "N-Novabomb, Hound, please... I-I can't... Don't make me..."   
  
Immediately, the Autobot scout regretted trying to force the other to admit something like that. Even Novabomb's expression softened as he realized how confused and overwhelmed his lover was.   
  
"Mirage."  
  
Both Autobots looked over at the seeker, who gently took Mirage by the arm and pulled him in front of him. He seized the sides of his face and made him look up at him, stroking his cheek plating as Mirage tried to avoid optic contact with him. "Mirage..." he murmured softly, kissing his cheek and ignoring the cringe from Hound. "Come on, it's okay... I-I know you can't say it... But it's okay. Just look at me. Please?"  
  
Hesitantly, Mirage did as asked and bit his bottom lip, feeling a bit uncomfortable since Hound was  _staring_  at them, his gaze penetrating his back. He tried to ignore it, but it was too hard, making him look away from the seeker again.  
  
Novabomb glared up at Hound. "Would it kill you to stop staring? You're making him all uncomfortable and shit."  
  
Hound raised an optic ridge, folding his arms across his chassis. "And how do you know it's not you?"  
  
Mirage broke away from Novabomb, clutching his helm as he snarled, "Stop it! Just shut up, both of you! I don't know what to do, all right?! Now just shut up and stop fighting about me when I'm standing right here!"  
  
Both mechs looked down at the spy, seeing him look so battered and confused about the entire situation. This wasn't either of their intentions. It just happened, but they knew that they were wrong. They never wanted to hurt the spy. They... They really didn't know what they wanted. Answers? A truce? A fight? They really didn't know.  
  
Novabomb looked from his lover to his lover's best friend. He would never give him up, especially not to this mech. And even if Mirage never said it, Novabomb knew that the little Autobot did love him, at least a little bit. Now he just had to show that to Hound.  
  
"Mirage," he said softly, though made no move to grab him. "Do you love Hound? In the same way he does?"  
  
Mirage shook his helm. "But... But I really..." He turned to Hound, who looked somewhat dejected, which made the spy feel guilty. "I... But I can't just make that decision since I never thought about it and... I don't know. Hound, I just... I don't  _know_."  
  
Truth be told, that made Hound feel a little better. He hadn't necessarily been rejected; it was just that Mirage really didn't know what his feelings were.   
  
"Mirage," the seeker said, grabbing the smallest mech's attention again. “Would… you ever leave me… for Hound?”  
  
The spy paled at the question. How was he even supposed to answer that?! Hound was his best friend! He didn’t see him as a lover! He wasn’t Novabomb! They were two entirely different people to him, though both important! He-  
  
But Mirage stopped himself. No, he could never lose either of them. They meant too much to him. But to leave Novabomb? To pursue something off with Hound? He wouldn’t be able to do it. He wouldn’t be able to forgiven himself if he did. He needed to stay with Novabomb, because Novabomb needed him. And, he supposed in the back of his mind, he needed the other too. Why else would he come back to him after “the other guy” had almost killed him? It certainly wasn’t masochism.   
  
Finally, the Autobot shook his helm, turning back to his friend. “Hound… You’re my best friend. But I could… I could never give up my relationship with Nova. Even if I did somehow love you like that.”   
  
Novabomb smiled brightly at the spy’s words, his smile only growing when he saw the rejected look on the other’s face. He wanted to laugh at him. Hound should have kept his feelings to himself or should have confessed long before Novabomb ever met Mirage. But the dark green Autobot had messed up with his timing, allowing himself to remain a friend and allowing the seeker to win. Mirage was his and Mirage loved him, even if the Autobot spy never said it.   
  
Hound looked down at the floor. This was why he never confessed in the first place. He didn’t want to be rejected and he didn’t want to lose Mirage as his best friend. He should have kept quiet. The pain in his chassis was almost too much.   
  
“Hound… Even if I don’t love you like that, you will always be my best friend.”   
  
Both Hound and Novabomb perked up at that, staring at the calm Autobot’s face. Just because Hound had confessed, Mirage would still be his friend. Hell, Hound was basically the first friend he ever made and he didn’t want to lose that connection with him. Sure, it would be awkward as hell for a while, but Hound meant a lot to him. He wasn’t going to let this ruin anything.   
  
Hound felt a bit of relief and pride swell up in his chassis, especially when he saw Novabomb look somewhat annoyed with the statement. Still, the sting in his spark was there, because now it had confirmed that Hound was forever friend-zoned.   
  
Mirage rested a servo on his shoulder. “Come on, Hound. Go back to base. I’ll be fine.”  
  
The scout nodded. “All right… Be careful, Mirage.” Then he glared over at the seeker, who just glared back. He pointed at him and growled, “Don’t think that just because I’m leaving means I admit defeat. If you hurt him again… I will take him from you.”  
  
“H-Hound?!” Mirage cried, optics widening at the sudden declaration. Oh shit, if Novabomb lost it here–  
  
But the seeker just barked out a laugh. “I’d love to see you try.” He came up to Mirage and yanked him into his chassis. The spy was about to protest and yell at him, but Novabomb sealed his mouth up with a mean kiss.  
  
Hound’s servos balled up into fists at the sight, wincing when he saw Mirage moan softly (though he didn’t know if it was in pleasure or in anger) against his lips. Then he shook his helm and turned away, knowing he had to head back to base. He wished he could have stayed though, just so he could punch the bastard seeker in the face. How he loathed that mech. A part of it was his hatred toward Decepticons, a part of it was his disdain for the childish seeker, and the last part was just jealousy.  
  
He wanted to be the one to kiss and hold the spy. He wanted to be the one Mirage was in a relationship with. He loved him. He always had.  
  
Mirage finally shoved away from Novabomb, slapping him across the face. Novabomb winced, but was smiling brightly, especially when he saw the embarrassed red face of his lover. He didn’t regret kissing him one bit, despite the slap that followed.  
  
“Don’t  _do_  that!” he shouted. “Primus, Nova!”  
  
He chuckled, rubbing the cheek Mirage had slapped. “Couldn’t help with it. Had something to prove.” He pulled the other back into a tight embrace, nuzzling his neck. “You’re mine, Mirage… You’ll always be mine… Because I love you.”  
  
_And I’ll be damned if I lose you to him._


End file.
